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HomeSkilled tradespersonIrelandMotor vehicle mechanic

Motor vehicle mechanic in Ireland

Preview — under verificationNo. 1 of 2 in Ireland's official demand list · Page last reviewed in full: 2026-11-07. Most recent source check: 2026-11-07. A recent source check does not mean every requirement on the page was re-read on that date.

Car and motor mechanics are a quota occupation for the GEP; DETE announced on 19 March 2026 that the quota was filled and the 28 May 2026 review renewed quotas (unranked).

Source for this ranking: DETE — Latest employment permits notices and developments (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body) · DETE — Ministers Burke and Dillon announce new employment permits (occupations lists review 2025) (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-05-28; Government or public body; announced only: not an operative procedure, no application route is implied)

The route for this occupation

General Employment Permit for an eligible trade or operative job (GEP)

Preview — under verification

Possible only for occupations not on the Ineligible List; some occupations are open only within capped quotas that have filled.

Ireland names motor vehicle mechanic at No. 1 of 2 in its own shortage analysis. That is a ranking, and a ranking is not a job offer. It indicates demand in that analysis; it does not mean that you will be hired.

Language level not stated in our sourcesNo recognition required by lawTimeline not published by the authorityNo single total: the figures are alternatives, paid by someone else, not yet verified, or in different currencies

Source: DETE — General Employment Permit (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body) · DETE — Ministers Burke and Dillon announce new employment permits (occupations lists review 2025) (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-05-28; Government or public body; announced only: not an operative procedure, no application route is implied) · DETE — Latest employment permits notices and developments (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body)

What do you need?

Language, recognition and route requirements, in that order.

  1. 1

    The language

    Our sources do not state a language level for this permit itself. That does not mean you will be hired without the language — it means the level is not a legal condition of the permit.

  2. 2

    Documented evidence of your qualification

    Formal recognition is not required by law for this path. You will still need documented evidence of your training and experience, and the assessor may ask for training records as well as the certificate.

  3. 3

    Requirements listed for the General Employment Permit for an eligible trade or operative job

    These are the conditions the source lists for this route. A missing item can stop the application, so check each one against the official page.

    • Employer sponsor and a job offer at or above the minimum pay (EUR 36,605; EUR 32,691 for horticulture, meat processing, health care assistants and home support)
    • Occupation must not be on the Ineligible List; quota occupations need a place within the quota
    • Labour market needs test in most cases; 50:50 workforce rule

Source: DETE — Latest employment permits notices and developments (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body) · DETE — Ministers Burke and Dillon announce new employment permits (occupations lists review 2025) (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-05-28; Government or public body; announced only: not an operative procedure, no application route is implied) · DETE — General Employment Permit (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body)

How long it takes

Timeline not published by the authority

No average processing time is published; DETE shows the date currently being processed. Quota availability can end an application window with no notice period beyond the Department's notices.

What it costs

Published costs for Ireland on this track. The largest listed item is gep application fee.

GEP application fee

Employer cannot recover it from the worker.

Source: DETE — General Employment Permit (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body)

EUR 500 to EUR 1,000Employer pays
Total of the listed costs (partial budget)No single total: the figures are alternatives, paid by someone else, not yet verified, or in different currencies

The government fee for the General Employment Permit for an eligible trade or operative job is EUR 1,000.

What changes because of where you are from

We do not yet publish passport-specific document steps for Ireland. Check the issuing authority’s page for the passport you will use.

What do you do first?

Get your qualification documents assessed. That is the item that runs longest and gates everything after it. Then work through the route requirements above, one line at a time.

Compare this against your other option

Most people are choosing between two things. This shows the two side by side on the lines that differ.

Motor vehicle mechanic in Ireland, against something else

Identical on every line we publish

Side one

Side two

Open Motor vehicle mechanicOpen Care worker
Route statusSame both sides

Whether the country is taking new applicants from overseas right now.

Ireland · Motor vehicle mechanic
Restricted — General Employment Permit for an eligible trade or operative job
Ireland · Care worker
Restricted — General Employment Permit for an eligible trade or operative job
Language levelSame both sides

The longest item on anybody's list. It decides your start date more than the visa does.

Ireland · Motor vehicle mechanic
Not stated in our sources
Ireland · Care worker
Not stated in our sources
Qualification recognitionSame both sides

If recognition is required by law, you cannot work in the job until it is finished.

Ireland · Motor vehicle mechanic
Not required by law
Ireland · Care worker
Not required by law
Money to budgetSame both sides

What the published cost list adds up to. Alternatives, employer-paid fees and money you only have to show or that comes back to you are not added.

Ireland · Motor vehicle mechanic
No single total: the figures are alternatives, paid by someone else, not yet verified, or in different currencies
Ireland · Care worker
No single total: the figures are alternatives, paid by someone else, not yet verified, or in different currencies
Realistic timelineSame both sides

Start to arrival, as the official timeline note states it. Not the visa stamp alone.

Ireland · Motor vehicle mechanic
Timeline not published by the authority
Ireland · Care worker
Timeline not published by the authority
Place in the demand listSame both sides

Where this sits in the country's own official shortage analysis.

Ireland · Motor vehicle mechanic
No. 1 of 2
Ireland · Care worker
No. 1 of 2

“Lower bar” means fewer requirements or less time or money on that one line only. It is not advice on which is better for you. Money and timeline figures are the whole published range for that country and track, not for this path alone.

Sources: DETE — General Employment Permit (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body) · DETE — Ministers Burke and Dillon announce new employment permits (occupations lists review 2025) (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-05-28; Government or public body; announced only: not an operative procedure, no application route is implied) · DETE — Latest employment permits notices and developments (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body) · DETE — Employment Permits Minimum Annual Remuneration (outcome of roadmap review 2025) (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body)

Compare two published visa routes

Profile: Skilled tradesperson. Compare the actual route requirements below. Each fee keeps its published currency; no combined total or cheapest-route ranking is calculated.

Ireland · General Employment Permit for an eligible trade or operative job
Preview — under verification

Published route status: restricted. This destination remains a research preview; the route is not independently confirmed.

Possible only for occupations not on the Ineligible List; some occupations are open only within capped quotas that have filled.

Requirements
Route-specific government fee

EUR 1,000 · charging unit not stated

Source: DETE — General Employment Permit (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body) · DETE — Ministers Burke and Dillon announce new employment permits (occupations lists review 2025) (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-05-28; Government or public body; announced only: not an operative procedure, no application route is implied) · DETE — Latest employment permits notices and developments (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body)

Government fee only, not a route budget. Profile-level financial ranges above are reference information and are not attributed to either visa route.

Route sources: DETE — General Employment Permit (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body) · DETE — Ministers Burke and Dillon announce new employment permits (occupations lists review 2025) (checked 2026-11-07; document dated 2026-05-28; Government or public body; announced only: not an operative procedure, no application route is implied) · DETE — Latest employment permits notices and developments (checked 2026-11-07; Government or public body)

Germany · Opportunity Card
Open

A one-year residence permit that lets you enter Germany to look for work, without needing a job offer first.

Requirements
Route-specific government fee

Not verified for this route. A missing amount is not zero.

Government fee only, not a route budget. Profile-level financial ranges above are reference information and are not attributed to either visa route.

Route sources: Make it in Germany — Opportunity Card (Federal Government portal) (checked 2026-11-03)

Quick answers

Can I work as a motor vehicle mechanic in Ireland?

Possible only for occupations not on the Ineligible List; some occupations are open only within capped quotas that have filled.

How long does it take?

Timeline not published by the authority. No average processing time is published; DETE shows the date currently being processed. Quota availability can end an application window with no notice period beyond the Department's notices.

How much does it cost?

The published costs on this page are in different currencies, so there is no single total.

Where to go next

Also in Ireland's demand list

Care workerNo. 1 in the same list, same language level

Motor vehicle mechanic elsewhere

Motor vehicle mechanic in GermanySame work, different country, published demand list

Other tracks for Ireland

Ireland for student or traineeI want to study or train abroadIreland for employed professionalI am in service — a salaried job

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